Wrestling: Panthers overwhelm Millersville, eye match against rival West Virginia

The Pitt men’s wrestling team won its eighth straight match on Saturday, destroying… The Pitt men’s wrestling team won its eighth straight match on Saturday, destroying Millersville, 53-0.

The Panthers haven’t lost since falling to Lehigh, 24-9 on Nov. 15. The only other blemish on the season was a 19-19 tie against Penn State.

Pitt coach Rande Stottlemyer was pleased with the team’s performance on Saturday.

“Shutting them out was pretty good. The guys wrestled really well,” Stottlemyer said. “It was pretty one-sided, but our guys did what they were supposed to do. You don’t pull back. You don’t take any prisoners.”

With the win, the Panthers (14-1-1, 3-0 EWL) tied a school record with 14 dual match victories this season. With three matches remaining in the regular season, Pitt looks poised to shatter that record.

The Panthers recorded six pins against Millersville, starting with freshman standout Anthony Zanetta in the 125-pound weight class, who defeated Matthew Devestine by fall in 2:11.

“[Zanetta] really creates momentum for your team,” Stottlemyer said. “He’s going hard and putting everything out there. He likes to be the first guy out there and set the tone.”

In the 133- and 141-pound weight classes, Pitt’s Jimmy Conroy and Tyler Nauman, respectively, picked up back-to-back wins by forfeit. In the 149-pound weight class, Eric Albright followed up with a pin of John Lester in 1:24 for the Panthers.

Pitt’s Donnie Tasser edged out an 8-7 decision over Jarrett Hostetter in the 157-pound weight class. Dave Sullivan recorded Pitt’s final decision of the day with a 2-0 win over Shane Smith in the 174-pound weight class.

The final three weight classes, which have been Pitt’s strength in its lineup this season, all recorded a fall in Saturday’s contest to close out the match.

“Our final three guys do a great job,” Stottlemyer said. “If we’re close or tied at that point in the match, we have the confidence that those guys are going to go in and get us the win.”

While the team’s eight-match winning streak is impressive, the way the Panthers are winning is even more remarkable.

After the 53-0 dismantling of Millersville, Pitt has now outscored its opponents by a combined 124-9 in its last three matches.

The Panthers will close out the regular season with three games against EWL opponents, starting with rival West Virginia on Saturday.

“Our goal is to win the EWL championship, and I think we have the opportunity to do that,” Stottlemyer said. “If we stay healthy and put our best effort forward, I think that goal isn’t a reach. I think we can grab it.”